Weather for 22 March 2022
THIS IS A PUBLIC FORECAST FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT TUESDAY 22ND MARCH 2022 ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY AT 6AM
GENERAL SITUATION: A HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM CENTERED NORTHEAST OF THE AREA WILL SUPPORT MODERATE TO FRESH WINDS ACROSS THE ISLANDS WHILE A STATIONARY FRONT IN THE VICINITY OF THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS CONTINUES TO DISSIPATE TODAY.
SPECIAL WARNINGS: BEACHGOERS AND BOATERS SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION DUE TO THE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AND MODERATE TO ROUGH SURF CONDITIONS MAINLY ALONG NORTH AND EAST COAST BEACHES.
ALL AREAS
WEATHER: PARTLY CLOUDY, WARM AND WINDY WITH THE CHANCE OF A FEW PASSING SHOWERS TODAY. MOSTLY FAIR AND BREEZY TONIGHT.
ADVISORY: A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT.
WINDS: EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 15 TO 25 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS.
SEAS: 5 TO 8 FEET OVER THE OCEAN.
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE 82°F 28°C
OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURE 72°F 22°C
SUNRISE: 7:11 AM SUNSET: 7:21 PM
MOONSET: 10:08 AM MOONRISE: 12:04 AM WED.
HIGH TIDE: 11:32 AM & 12:07 AM WED.
LOW TIDE: 5:42 PM & 6:35 AM WED.
EXTENDED FORECAST: (FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS) HIGH PRESSSURE WILL REMAIN THE DOMINANT WEATHER FEATURE WHILE GENERATING BRISK WINDS ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH THURSDAY. MEANWHILE, A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MIGRATE INTO THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS ON FRIDAY, FOLLOWED BY A SECONDARY ONE ON SUNDAY AND SHOULD SUPPORT A NICE COOL DOWN INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.
FORECAST FOR WEDNESDAY
WEATHER: PARTLY SUNNY, WARM AND WINDY WITH THE CHANCE OF A FEW PASSING SHOWERS.
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT.
WINDS: EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 15 TO 25 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS.
SEAS: 5 TO 8 FEET
FORECAST FOR THURSDAY
WEATHER: PARTLY CLOUDY, WINDY AND WARM WITH THE CHANCE OF A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS.
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT.
WINDS: SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH AT 15 TO 25 KNOTS IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS AND EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 15 TO 25 KNOTS IN THE CENTRAL AND TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS.
SEAS: 5 TO 8 FEET
Ukrainian refugee numbers reach 3.4 million
More than 3.4 million people have fled Ukraine since Russia invaded, according to the latest figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Monday's update showed that, of those refugees, more than 2 million have crossed the border into Poland. Additionally, about 535,000 have entered Romania and 365,000 have crossed into Moldova. Refugees are also going to Hungary, Slovakia, Belarus & even Russia.
UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi tweeted Sunday evening that since the Russian invasion, 10 million people in Ukraine fled, either displaced in the country or as refugees abroad.
"Among the responsibilities of those who wage war, everywhere in the world, is the suffering inflicted on civilians who are forced to flee their homes," he wrote.
UNICEF told our affiliate ABC News that half of the internally displaced Ukrainians and half of those who have fled are children.
Source- ABC
18 year old suspected of murders in Sweden
Two teachers in their 50s have died after a violent attack at a secondary school in the southern Swedish city of Malmö, police say.
An 18-year-old student at the school has been arrested on suspicion of murder.
Local media report that the victims were stabbed, but no firearms were used in the attack.
The two women, employees of Malmö Latin School, were taken to hospital by ambulance but died of their injuries.
At a news conference this morning, police said the suspect was arrested just 10 minutes after the alarm was raised.
Officers arrived at an apparently calm school, but found the two injured women and the suspect on the third floor. Swedish news outlet Aftonbladet reports that he was found with an axe and a knife.
The 18-year-old man had no criminal record or history of suspicious behaviour, police said, but investigations were continuing. Police said they would interview the suspect and many others from the school on Tuesday.
The motive remains unknown and there is as yet no evidence of an unusual link between the student and two teachers.
Source- BBC
Registered Venezuelans to benefit from extension of stay in Trinidad
Registered Venezuelan nationals have been given an extension of stay in Trinidad and Tobago to the end of this year.
Acting Deputy Chief Immigration Officer, Derek Craigwell, speaking on a local radio station, said only Venezuelans who are properly registered will be able to take advantage of the extension.
He said that National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds had signed the legal notice last month and that it had been published in the official Gazette earlier this month.
Craigwell said that the extension of stay to December 31, this year “will be granted to qualifying Venezuelan nationals.
“That is Venezuelan nationals in Trinidad and Tobago who re-registered during the re-registration exercise conducted from March 3, 2021 to April 9, 2021 to December 31, 2022,” he added.
Once approved, applicants will receive a work permit exemption valid for one year. Their status, however, will be assessed after the first six months, following which they will either be denied or granted approval to continue working in TNT for the remaining six months.
Venezuelans who are registered will also benefit from free emergency medical services at public health institutions including treatment for acute medical conditions such as accidents, injuries, asthma, heart attacks, strokes, diabetic comas, infectious disease and initial stabilization of fractures. They will also benefit from public health promotions and immunization efforts.
On the contrary, there is no guarantee that registered Venezuelans will be able to access education, training courses or social services offered by government and state entities.
The number of Venezuelans who have benefited from the initiative vary with some groups claiming that in May 2019 there were 60,000 Venezuelans. However, a separate report issued by the UNHCR reported that as of 30th September, 2020 there were 14,241 pending asylum claims in Trinidad and Tobago and 2,514 recognised refugees.
Venezuelans have been fleeing their homeland as opposition forces in the South American country backed by many western countries including the United States, Europe and Canada, seek the removal of President Nickolas Maduro from office.
Source- CMC
Billie Eilish and FINNEAS to perform on Oscars telecast
Billie Eilish and her brother/producer FINNEAS will perform their Oscar-nominated song “No Time to Die,” from the James Bond film of the same name, during the 94th Oscars ceremony on Sunday night, a source involved with the show tells The Hollywood Reporter.
The Grammy-winning siblings are considered odds-on favorites to take home the Best Original song Oscar, following wins at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice and Grammy Awards.
Two other Bond songs have nabbed Oscars over the past decade: Adele’s “Skyfall,” from the 2012 film of the same name, and Sam Smith’s “Writing’s on the Wall,” from 2015’s Spectre.
The 94th Annual Academy Awards will air live on ABC on Sunday at 8 p.m. from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Source- ABC
Ed Sheeran learned Spanish to record with Latin superstar J Balvin
Last week, Ed Sheeran said his next release would be something of a "curveball," and he wasn't lying: He's releasing two songs with Latin superstar J Balvin -- and he's singing in Spanish.
In an Instagram post, Ed explains, "So I want to share something with you that I’ve been working on. I met @jbalvin in a gym in New York last year. It was just me and him very early in the morning. I recognized his voice when he was on the phone so I just went up and said hi."
"We chatted so long we ended up having lunch and then afternoon tea. Then just went to being mates who chatted non stop," Ed continues. "I was in New York at Christmas for shows so we decided to have one day in the studio that led to so so much more, which you’ll find out about soon. But the first two songs we wrote are 'Sigue' and 'Forever My Love,' they are out soon, and I absolutely love them."
"He wanted to bring me into his world, and I wanted to bring him into mine," Ed concludes. "Was a proper challenge learning Spanish for this and I had so much fun doing it. Hope you guys love it as much as I do, and look out for more to come."
The post is accompanied by sped-up footage of what appears to be a video shoot for either one or both songs. No release date has been announced yet.
J Balvin is one of the best-selling artists in Latin music, and has collaborated with Beyoncé, Pharrell Williams, The Black Eyed Peas and Dua Lipa. He also topped the charts along with Cardi B and Bad Bunny with the number-one 2018 smash, "I Like It."
Source- ABC
Shell reconsidered pulling investment from oil field off Shetland
Energy giant Shell is reconsidering its recent decision to pull investment from a large new UK oil field, the BBC understands.
In December, Shell said the economic case - along with possible regulatory delays - meant it was withdrawing from the Cambo oil field, which is 75 miles off the west coast of Shetland.
At the time the price of crude oil was under $70 a barrel.
It has since touched double that price and has consistently been over $100.
Oil prices are volatile because of fears that Russian oil will either be shunned, or cut off.
The desire to reduce European dependence on Russian exports has also made the UK government willing to fast track investment in domestic fossil fuels.
Shell has not yet sold its interests in the field. Sources close to the matter said that, while the company's official position had not changed, it did acknowledge that the economic, political and regulatory environment had changed enormously since the decision was announced just three months ago.
Shell last week resubmitted an application to develop the Jackdaw North Sea gas field - off the east coast of Scotland - having had it turned down in October by environmental regulators.
The company said it had modified the chemical processes involved in the gas extraction to meet regulatory requirements.
The UK government said investment decisions are a commercial matter for the companies involved, but it remains committed to the domestic offshore oil and gas sector as the UK transitions to net zero greenhouse gas emissions.
What does net zero mean?
The UK's North Sea regulator plans later this year to hold the first oil and gas licensing round for new fields since 2020.
Shell's decision last December to pull out of the project was taken two weeks after COP26 - a high profile global climate conference in Glasgow - and was roundly welcomed by environmental campaigners, who described Shell's decision as a hammer blow to the project.
Tessa Khan, director of environmental group Uplift, said new oil and gas assets like Cambo would not help bring down prices or secure UK energy security of supply.
"Contrary to what [Business Secretary] Kwasi Kwarteng has said, this isn't 'our oil'," she said.
"It belongs to Shell who will sell it abroad to the highest bidder. According to the government's own figures, 80% of North Sea oil is put in tankers and exported.
"What it will do is produce carbon emissions equivalent to 18 coal-fired power stations, when we are already experiencing the impacts of the climate crisis. Cambo makes as little sense today as it did last year."
The government is due to unveil its energy supply strategy early next week.
Source- BBC
Saudi Aramco increases investments in energy production
The state-owned oil giant Saudi Aramco plans to sharply increase the amount it invests in energy production, after it reported a doubling of profits in 2021.
The firm aims to boost output significantly over the next five years.
Energy prices have soared in recent months as demand has outstripped supplies of oil and gas.
The war in Ukraine and a reluctance to rely on Russia for energy has added to the pressure to find additional sources of energy.
Saudi Aramco's move is likely to be welcomed by political leaders worried about the impact of high energy prices, although the boost to investment is aimed at increasing output over the course of the next five to eight years.
Last week prime minister Boris Johnson visited Saudi Arabia to try to persuade the country to release more oil into world markets in the short term.
Saudi Arabia is the largest producer in the oil cartel Opec (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) and by raising production it could help to reduce energy prices which are currently at 14-year highs.
However, the country has been condemned for a range of human rights abuses: its involvement in the conflict in neighbouring Yemen, the murder in 2018 of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, for jailing dissidents and for widespread use of capital punishment.
The Labour Party accused the government of going "cap in hand" from one dictator to another to tackle the energy crisis.
The chancellor, Rishi Sunak, said the prime minister was "absolutely right" to engage with Saudi Arabia over increasing energy supplies.
"It would be wrong if we weren't exploring all the avenues we could to bring cheaper energy and more secure energy to people in this country," Rishi Sunak told the BBC.
The prime minister had "constructive dialogue" about human rights abuses during the visit, he said.
Shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves, said the UK should be focusing on boosting domestic production of energy through new nuclear and on and off-shore wind generation, to reduce reliance on states like Russia and Saudi Arabia.
"Getting to net zero is the mission of our generation," she said.
"We've got to do more to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, which is why investment in homegrown electricity is so important."
Energy markets have been volatile during the pandemic, as sudden changes in economic activity have influenced both supply and demand.
Source- BBC
How Russian accounts manipulate Twitter
Olena Kurilo became the face of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Bloodied and bandaged, the 53-year-old teacher said she couldn't believe what had happened to her and her town of Chuhuiv.
Her picture was on the front pages of newspapers across the world.
Over the next few days, Russia's government social media accounts began to post a video claiming that Olena hadn't been injured at all.
"Great photos by the way, they were all over the news," the Russian narrator says.
The video then claims Olena was photographed two days later, uninjured.
"A couple of days later, good for her, not a scratch."
This claim is baseless, the BBC has verified the photo as genuine, as has Reuters. Wild conspiracy theories like these are not uncommon on social media.
But what makes this conspiracy theory so odd is that it was shared by an official Russian government Twitter account - the Russian Mission in Geneva. Two weeks on, the tweet is still live.
The Russian government has a huge network of official Twitter accounts - the BBC found more than 100 of them. They range from accounts that represent foreign missions or embassies, with a few thousand followers, to those with more than a million followers. President Putin has his own account. Many of the accounts are labelled as Russian government organisations by Twitter.
Yet, while many of these accounts have spread disinformation, Twitter deals with them differently to Russian state media - like RT or Sputnik.
He looked at how many times each Twitter account retweeted one of the other 74 profiles within an hour. He discovered that the Kremlin's network of Twitter accounts work together to retweet and drive up traffic. This practice is sometimes called "astroturfing" - when the owner of several accounts uses the profiles they control to retweet content and amplify reach.
"It's a coordinated retweet network," Mr Graham says.
"If these accounts weren't retweeting stuff at the same time, the network would just be a bunch of disconnected dots. So what the network shows, very clearly, is that there's a very dense amount of connections to the way these accounts are retweeting.
"They are using this as an engine to drive their preferred narrative onto Twitter, and they're getting away with it," he says.
Coordinated activity, using multiple accounts, is against Twitter's rules.
"You can't artificially amplify conversations through the use of multiple accounts," Twitter's rules state.
But Twitter doesn't treat all accounts equally. Tweets from government and elected officials can be given more leeway when it comes to moderation. The company says on its website that there may be a public interest in seeing tweets that would otherwise violate its rules.
However, the company doesn't treat official accounts differently when it comes to coordinated behaviour - there is no exemption.
Source- BBC
Scottish mental health charity SAMH targeted in cyber attack
A Scottish mental health charity says it has been the victim of a "sophisticated and criminal" cybersecurity attack.
Police are investigating the incident which has affected emails and phone lines at SAMH, the Scottish Association for Mental Health.
Charity chief executive Billy Watson said staff were devastated by the attack.
He said they were trying to keep support services running.
"It is difficult to understand why anyone would deliberately try to disrupt the work of an organisation that is relied on by people at their most vulnerable," Mr Watson said.
"Our priority is to continue to do everything we can to deliver our vital services.
"My thanks to our staff team who, under difficult circumstances, are finding ways to keep our support services running to ensure those they support experience as little disruption as possible."
SAMH works with adults and young people across Scotland, proving mental health support in locations including primary care, schools and further education.
Police said the attack on the Glasgow-based charity happened last Thursday.
"Inquiries are at an early stage and we are providing support to those affected," a spokeswoman said.
On Friday, SAMH posted a notice on its website saying it was dealing with an incident affecting its staff's ability to receive and respond to emails.
It added that some of its national phone lines had also been affected.
The cyber attack was confirmed in a second post on its website on Monday.
Mr Watson said: "We are working closely with various agencies including Police Scotland - this is an active investigation.
"We will continue to take the best expert advice to assist us in effectively dealing with this situation."
The charity said local services could still be contacted by phone and added that it continued to support people across Scotland.
It comes just over a year after Scotland's environmental watchdog, Sepa, was targeted in a cyber attack on Christmas Eve 2020.
More than 4,000 digital files were stolen in the incident which a later review said displayed "significant stealth and malicious sophistication".
Source- BBC